When it comes to summer denim essentials, we immediately think of our favorite cut-off shorts. But even we have to admit, as tempting as it is to wear those babies daily, it’s better to mix up your style and throw some variation into the mix. One stop at Nasty Gal proved us right. There are endless ways to stay cool and look hot in denim this summer, and we took the liberty of picking a few out for ya.

In the market for a cute pair of spring shoes that are versatile enough to go with all your favorite outfits, but could still pass for a summer wedding slip-on? We fell hard for this pair of denim wedge sandals while reading Eat Sleep Denim and had to share. As the site boasts, these babies come equipped with “an ultra-flattering adjustable ankle strap. We especially love them for outdoor weddings (we know grass and skinny heels are mortal enemies, but no sinkage here!)” Grab your pair of denim wedge sandals by MaraisUSA.

When it comes to completing (or growing, if you never plan to “complete” it, as in our case!) a denim wardrobe, it’s best to think outside of the jean. Denim and chambray are two amazing fabrics that can create not only classic jean silhouettes, but must-have pieces like denim vests, dresses, and even shoes. Some of our favorite denim pieces on the market right now, aren’t jeans at all! Check out these 9 denim essentials below, and prepare to amp up your denim game this week.

The ladies of DT will admit… we’re kind of burnt out on the Jeffrey Campbell Lita shoe—but we still love Jeffrey Campbell as a brand. Their newest denim shoe is a converse-inspired high top sneaker with spike embellishment and a side-zip detail. Enough hardware for you? These shoes would look amazing with a pair of white skinny jeans and a loose tank. Would you wear them?

The Jeffrey Campbell Lita in denim is back in stock at Nasty Gal! If you didn’t have a chance to grab a pair of these last summer, they’re still a must-have almost 365 days later. They’re $162, 5.25″ high with a beautiful chunky wooden heel. Imagine these with an off-white crocheted dress! We’re sold. Grab your pair here!

We first spotted Springa’s shoes at PROJECT NY via Organico Showroom, and we’re still drooling over the fact that these Italian-made sneakers are created from 100% recycled materials. (Yes, that includes denim.) Each pair of shoes is produced in the Tuscan countryside using 1950s vulcanization equipment, for an extra-special handcrafted touch. So even though the raw materials–Hawaiian shirts, striped cotton, tire inner tubes–may be sourced from Berlin, New York, or Paris, the process is quintessentially Italian.

Check out our exclusive interview with Organico Showroom’s Marc Ernst about the line and what’s next for fall 2012!

Most popular shoe style so far?
Springa Aloha (vintage hawaiian shirt lining) and Springa Camo (camouflage in cotton canvas) are the two most popular Spring 2012 styles–each features one of a kind trim and details that are Springa signatures.

What exactly makes Springa’s shoes distinctly Italian?
Each Springa sneaker is made by hand using restored 1950′s vulcanizatto machinery–the cotton canvas, suede, and linings are individually selected to ensure that each shoe is one of a kind–assembled in a process that takes more than two hours for each shoe using artisan manufacturing techniques passed down from generation to generation.

Are there plans to expand the variety of materials used in the future?
Dead stock 13 oz denim, vachetta (vegetable dyed) leather, Carhartt pants, silk neckties, and cotton sailcloth (cotton canvas from sailboats) are recycled and hand finished in Springa’s Fall 2012 collection.

What kind of person do you see wearing these shoes?
Springa is for the individual–our mantra is “escape the industrial mindset”–people immune to mass trends.

How would YOU style a pair of these shoes?
Springa is all about personal style–mixing and matching pattern, color, and materials. For him, mixing the Camo with a tonal herringbone or plaid pant and for her, the Aloha hawaiian print with a batik dress or mini skirt.

Footwear may be oft-forgotten in the world of denim apparel, but that doesn’t mean denim shoes don’t exist–and that you can’t find them in various iterations. We’ve rounded up three radically different denim kicks for guys and provided the clothes and accessories to pair them with. If you’re worried about how versatile these shoes are, don’t fear denim on denim! Pair white jeans and a chambray shirt with denim slip-ons or dark jeans with black denim sneakers. (Trust us, it looks just as good as cords worn with rugged denim boots.)

Welcome to your morning dose of denim news, links, sales, and other irresistible tid bits of inside info! Catch up on what’s happening (or totally not happening) and browse our personal picks after scanning the web this morning. Got a tip you think we should include, a sale you want to share, or a style you just saw and can’t live without? Email us!

Welcome to your morning dose of denim news, links, sales, and other irresistible tid bits of inside info! Catch up on what’s happening (or totally not happening) and browse our personal picks after scanning the web this morning. Got a tip you think we should include, a sale you want to share, or a style you just saw and can’t live without? Email us!

5. The hand-dyed indigo Chuck Taylor All Star converse shoe now comes in high-top, and they were just released a couple days ago. They’re sure to sell out as quickly as the low tops did. They’re available at Tenue de Nîmes.

“50 pairs of the shoes were dyed by the Manabe family from Okoyama – owners of Japanese denim label Momotaro and the Rampuya dyeing factory. The shoes, each of which is unique and hand-numbered, will be available November 26th at Tenue de Nimes.” (Highsnobiety)

After witnessing Jeremy Scott‘s spring 2012 collection coming down the runway at Milk Studios last season, we knew we had to get up close to the range of hyper-creative denim pieces. As usual, the collection runs the full gamut between ready-to-wear and not-quite-ready-for-this. Barring the ass-less chaps, in fact, the collection is highly wearable, and includes both multi-color striped jean material and a tamer, light wash option for each style. Extra-long fringe shorts and high-waisted skirts constructed from upside-down jeans provided adventurous, fashion-forward picks for the females. Speaking of which, we saw Rihanna’s lipstick stain on the denim corset she wore during her latest video shoot.

As you’d expect from Jeremy Scott’s over-active imagination, you have to think through wearing some of these during the day—but that’s the point: this collection is perfect for the new-age club kid (and the colorful crowd who never miss his runway shows). Overall skirts and standard button-down vests fill in the blanks between the avant garde, and while there are winged denim shoes that look more in-place in Harajuku than NYC, there are also a wing-less version that are super-chic. But our favorite element here is the idea of fashion being fun, a little silly, and genuinely bold. See the looks below.